BUZZER BEATER LIFTS RAMS OVER HUSKIES
January 13, 2007

Box Score

FORT WORTH, TX:  Two of the NAIA’s top men’s basketball teams met in the Sid Richardson Center on Saturday.  In a game that seemed destined for overtime, CJ Higginbotham’s three-pointer at the buzzer lifted #7 Texas Wesleyan University (11-3, 4-0 RRAC) over #15 Houston Baptist University (11-3, 5-1) by a score of 57-54.

In the first half, neither team shot particularly well.  Houston Baptist opened its largest lead of the game at 18-11 with 6:34 on the clock.  However, threes from Evan Patterson and Fred Eshon sparked a 13-0 run that put the Rams in charge 24-18.  A three from Dwight Jones II and a tip-inn from Ronald Wells brought the Huskies within a point at 24-23, but Nino Etienne closed the period with a layup and the Rams enjoyed a 26-23 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Rams began to hit some shots.  After shooting just 39% in the first period, Texas Wesleyan shot 56% in the second.  Midway through the period the Rams used a 7-0 run to open their largest lead of the game at 40-32.

Houston Baptist closed to within a pair at 42-40 after a three from Justin Wilson, but Patterson had the answering three to put the Rams ahead 45-40.  Texas Wesleyan continued to lead, 54-47 with 1:48 remaining regulation, but Houston Baptist’s Kevin Amend hit a three to cut the lead to three.  After a Texas Wesleyan turnover, Justin Wilson scored on a layup and then Jones tied the game at 54 with 36 seconds to play.

After missed shots from both teams, the Rams brought the ball up the floor with a chance at a final shot.  With three seconds on the clock Kelvin Williams was fouled while going to the basket.  Williams missed both free throws, but Dane Dmitrovic tipped the rebound out to Higginbotham who just beat the buzzer with a three to win the game for Texas Wesleyan.

Etienne led the Rams with a game-high 20 points.  Patterson added 12 points and six rebounds.  Jones led HBU with 17 points.

Texas Wesleyan overcame 23 turnovers by holding Houston Baptist to just 35% shooting from the floor.

“There is nobody better to have the ball in that situation,” head coach Terry Waldrop said of Higginbotham’s heroics.  “The game was ugly at times, but it was very competitive.  This was obviously two of the top teams in the country going at it.”

Texas Wesleyan returns to the Sid Richardson Center on Monday, January 15, when they host Huston-Tillotson University in Red River Athletic Conference play.  That game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.